Photonic microwave generation with high-power photodiodes

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates high-power, low-noise microwave generation using advanced photodiodes illuminated by ultrafast laser pulses, achieving extremely low timing jitter and phase noise.

Contribution

It introduces the use of high-power MUTC photodiodes for low-phase-noise microwave generation via optical frequency division, with detailed characterization of their electrical and noise performance.

Findings

Achieved +14 dBm 10 GHz signal power

Generated 10 GHz tone with less than 500 attoseconds jitter

Phase noise floor of -177 dBc/Hz

Abstract

We utilize and characterize high-power, high-linearity modified uni-traveling carrier (MUTC) photodiodes for low-phase-noise photonic microwave generation based on optical frequency division. When illuminated with picosecond pulses from a repetition-rate-multiplied gigahertz Ti:sapphire modelocked laser, the photodiodes can achieve 10 GHz signal power of +14 dBm. Using these diodes, a 10 GHz microwave tone is generated with less than 500 attoseconds absolute integrated timing jitter (1 Hz-10 MHz) and a phase noise floor of -177 dBc/Hz. We also characterize the electrical response, amplitude-to-phase conversion, saturation and residual noise of the MUTC photodiodes.